Firescaping plants for the Western Cape

Disaster management fire experts suggest that the drought during the summer of 2017/2018 kept fires in the Western Cape at a conservative figure. Good rains this year have increased the biomass in the region and more intense fires are predicted.

So far the predictions are regretfully on target. Close to 90 000 hectares was destroyed in the 2018 George-Outeniqua fire (29 -31 October, 2018).

It is estimated that the George-Outeniqua fire destroyed an area four times the size of the 2017 Knysna fires (7-10 June, 2017) - which saw 22 000 hectares razed.

“Professional landscapers spend their life working in nature and are sensitised to the dangers that fire pose to life, property and infrastructure”, says SALI National Chair, Norah de Wet.

Landscaping an area to be firewise requires planting in zones and is known as firescaping. “Knowing which plants to use in three firescaped zones on a property will go a long way to reducing damage in the face of a runaway wildfire”, says de Wet.

In the Knysna fires, for example, walls covered in star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) and pavements planted up with aloes were destroyed by the intense flames and heat.

However, they protected the homes and perimeter walls against which they were planted by being in the path of the fire and absorbing the impact of the fire.

Three firescaping zones

Landscape a defensible space against wild fires with three zones of firewise plants.

What plants should you choose to plant in these three zones of firescaping in your garden. Aim now to save lives and infrastructure this summer with firewise planting.

Plants for firescaping in three zones

Consider these plants for firewise landscaping in three zones.

1. Perimeter zone

This is a buffer zone area on the boundary of your propert which should be planted up with low growing, fleshy-leaved ground covers, hedging plants and isolated forest trees or large succulent aloes that are fire-resistant and resprout when damaged by fire.

Within the garden, design 'island beds' surrounded by lawn, paving or gravel.

Choose fire-resistant trees and shrubs, but make sure that they do not touch each other or create a ladder effect that can deliver a fire to your home. Interplant the islands with low growing ground covers.